“You’re making no sense and you’re scaring me!” Hammer blurted out. “And I thought the entire point of Trooper Truth was to always tell the truth. It seems to me in these latest essays all you’re doing is manipulating everyone, even if it’s for a good cause. Or even if you mean it as a good cause. Damn it! I’m so confused. ”
“I understand exactly how you feel, ” Andy said. “I promise I know what I’m doing. We both know how ruthless and dangerous Smoke is. If that helicopter sets down on the island and he sees the first hint of people who don’t exactly look like watermen, even if they’re dressed like them, he very well may open fire the minute he steps out on the airstrip. We’ve got to introduce an element of surprise to make him pause just long enough for us to surround him and take him down without incident. ”
“Let’s get on with this and mobilize the troops, ” Hammer decided. “The governor will just have to return by car to the mansion after the race. You and I are flying the helicopter to Tangier Island to see what we can do to bring closure to this mess. And by the way, what makes you think a Tory Treasure really is in the bay?”
“I don’t necessarily think it, ” Andy replied. “But that old piece of iron clearly came from a battle, possibly involving pirates. And that Tory turncoat Joseph Wheland certainly must have amassed a fortune during all of his years of plundering plantations and other ships, so what happened to all of his loot?”
Barbie Fogg had never been on a real plantation, but she got a sense of what that might be like when she pulled up to the front gates of the governor’s mansion at noon, just in time to see a very odd sight.
Two powerfully built EPU troopers were shoveling woodchips into the back of a long, black limousine. Barbie drove through the opening gates and parked on the circular driveway. She collected her makeover products, which fit nicely in a large toolbox, and grabbed a bag of clothes out of the trunk.
“What are you doing?” she asked the troopers. “I don’t mean to pry, but why are you piling all these woodchips on the back floor of this beautiful limo? Are you planning to plant flowers inside? If so, I think that’s a wonderful idea. Then the governor can ride around in a garden. ”
The troopers sternly replied that the information was classified, and then the mansion’s front door opened and a black butler in a stiffly pressed white jacket greeted Barbie with a smile.
“Do come in, ” he warmly said. “Miss Reginia is expecting you. Here, let me take your coat, and can I help you with your toolbox?”
“Thank you, ” Barbie said, slipping out of her coat and revealing a rather sexy tight leather outfit that did not seem in keeping with her daintiness or soft voice. “I need the toolbox and the bag so I can work on Regina. ”
Pony knew that Regina’s appearance required a lot of work, but it saddened him to think things had deteriorated to the point that tools were required. He escorted Barbie up the winding staircase to the First Family’s private quarters, where Regina was rummaging through her bedroom closet, pulling out painter’s paints and sweatshirts and getting increasingly discouraged.
“Oh!” she said with relief when Barbie walked in and set the toolbox and bag on the bed. “I’m so glad you’re here! I can’t find anything to wear and I looked in the mirror a little earlier and scared myself. Do you really think you can make me pretty in time for the race?”
“Of course I do, ” Barbie assured her as she looked out the window at the EPU troopers shoveling more wood-chips into the limousine.
“That’s for Trip’s trip, ” Regina explained.
“Trip-trip?” Barbie was baffled. “What’s a trip-trip?”
“No, Trip’s trip, not trip-trip, ” Regina said. “Trip’s Papa’s new little minihorse that’s specially trained to guide blind people. Papa has to take him everywhere he goes, you see, and since I’m supervising, I did a little research on the subject and found out that minihorses do better in the car if they have woodchips. “